Retirement planning: conceptualisation, challenges and policy options

The central objective of this paper is to explain the concept and relevance of retirement planning within a vibrant Christian organisation such as the Assemblies of God’s Church. In particular, an attempt is made to expose participants to the theoretical relevance and application of the benefits of retirement planning to the church as an employer, and the pastors as employees of the church. Accordingly, issues related to the role of the church and beneficiary pastors and other full-time workers such as church administrators are conceptually analysed. The paper recommends that the Assemblies of God’s church should play a pivotal role in establishing and contributing to an attractive pension scheme in the form of an Occupational Pension Plan for its pastors and other full-time employees. This undertaking can only be successful if the church can restructure and streamline some of its activities by formalising and unifying its payment system as well as breaking new grounds, repackaging and redirecting some of its services for economic gains and income generation.